Much of all ore discoveries within the Matachewan Area of Northern Ontario, were commonly identified to have been discovered in the mid 1920's. Unlike several mining operations within the small booming town of Matachewan, Ontario, Canada, the Matachewan Consolidated Mines became known as the first operation to be uncovered in 1918 by Sam Otisse. This rookie part time prospector was on a mission to find some rich ore bearing ground, when he had soon came upon his first gold discovery in Northern Ontario. His own historical claim was said to have been located 2 miles north-west from the present day mining town of Matachewan, Ontario, Canada. Unlike several Matachewan mining operations, this claim was historically located in a whole different township known as Powell Township. These corporate﻿ Mine owners were also known for developing three shafts towards this large scale gold mining claims. As development phases had continue to take place, the main mining claim had now establish construction operations towards its No.1 shaft. In general the No.1 shaft was also strongly known as a two compartment shaft which had sunken down to 170 feet, and included 800 feet of lateral development on the mines 160 foot level. Unlike the companies No.1 shaft, the No. 2 shaft operation was only situated on the mines 70 foot level, and had 1 ore producing level on its 35 foot level.

The Matachewan Gold Mines Limited soon had taken over the claim within 1920, and would end up expanding this mine. Almost all expansions during that year we're being focused on re-designing the company's new milling facility. In addition this whole entire phase included installing two boilers that range from 40 H.P to 45 H.P. Development by the new company was also being commenced on the two shaft operations. The first shaft was already being sunken to a depth of 168 feet, while the No. 2 shaft was only resting at 37 feet below ground levels. Almost all of this whole entire mining operation was now consisting of 303 feet of cross-cutting, and 625 feet of drifting between the two shaft operations. Soon enough the Matachewan Gold Mines Limited would end up conducting further diamond drilling phases to uncover any more potential discovery zones.

Soon enough the three claimed areas would become 1 gigantic claim that made Sam Otisse form his own company, so the Matachewan Consolidated Mines Limited had now became the New controlling owner of the Matachewan Consolidated Mines. All of these historical changes had occurred within 1923 and 1924 when the mine was officially in its booming stage. Corporate Owners had also establish 5,455 feet of diamond drilling which was contracted by the Porcupine Goldfields Development and Financing Limited. All ore discoveries within this mining operation were also known to be formed in two different types of formations, those within metavolcanics were known to be more irregular and had limited vertical extend. They also had identify to have mostly consisted of a series of gently dipped quartz stringers and adjacent lavas or tuffs that were fractured, bleached and mineralized with pyrite and gold deposits throughout this clamed area. Almost all gold grades within this formation were known to have been mined at 0.16 ounces a ton of ore that became extracted from this area. Another type of ore formation is known to occur within propryre and has a large mass of gold ore that's found on the western part of this historical claimed area. These ore-bodies are also considered to contribute Gold-pyrite formations within them as well.

Within the year of 1933, the Matachewan Consolidated Gold Mine was rather being re-opened as the Matachewan Consolidated Mines, Limited had further developed this mining zone. All development during this time period would soon further expand the 170 foot level, when 1,285 feet of drifting was establish. More so the company had other ideas when it decided to explore this zone further with 3,821 feet of diamond drilling that was taken from underground. Even more construction phases commenced when the Matachewan Consolidated Mines, Limited had constructed surface building on it's own mining zone. These majorly important buildings had included a shaft house, Powder Magazine, Carpenter Shop, Portable Compressor shed, a core shop, and its own addition to the main office building.

The Matachewan Consolidated Mines, Limited had additionally sunken the main three compartment shaft to a distance of 178 feet below the shaft collar. By 1935 the whole entire mining operation was becoming expanded when several feet of drifting, crosscutting, and raising became establish. During this time period alone the company expanded these levels with 746 feet of drifting, 492 feet of crosscutting, 67 feet of raising, and 105 feet of box holding. As development continued the company it self decided to further explore this area when 204 feet of diamond drilling was completed on surface, and 2,226 feet from underground. By this time the company and its team of dedicated miners would end up hoisting another large amount of ore that totalled 49,487 tons, while also hoisting 9,680 tons of waste. More so the Matachewan Consolidated Mines, Limited. and its miners had also broken down 73,296 tons of ore from the stopes alone. Production from the mine was also rather speeding up when the mill was in operation for 365 days, and had treated and processed 48,362 tons of ore. Milling within 1935, had produce significant amount of gold and silver that totalled 10,113 ounces of gold and 1,650.43 ounces of pure silver bullion.

All development within 1934, was commonly considered to have taken place on the No. 1 shaft operation that was sunken to 276 feet below the shaft collar. Much of this development soon started to expand this mining operation when two levels became opened up on the mine's 160 foot level, and it's 260 foot level. Much of the first level that was located on the 160 foot level became opened up by 151 feet of drifting, 492 feet of crosscutting, and 62 feet of raising. The second level on the mine's 260 foot level was also being expanded when 595 feet of drifting was completed on this section alone. Within this time period the company also had hoisted a total of 49,487 tonnes of ore from the mining operation. Company officials from the Matachewan Consolidated Mines Limited would end up taking a total 9,680 tonnes as it was discarded as waste, and another 73,296 tonnes was broken down in the stope sections. Even all milling operations within this time period had operated for a total of 365 days that processed 48,362 tonnes , which was taken from a daily capacity of 132 1/2 tonnes per a day, Further so the company would also end up producing a lot of gold and silver bullion that totalled 10,113 ounces of gold, and 1,650.43 ounces of Silver from all production that year.Construction within the year 1934, was strongly taken place on all the surface infrastructures that included new builds such as a Head-Frame, Shaft-House, Ore Bins, power-house, a direct driven electric hoist, and compressor, a new refinery, and change-house, As mining operations continued the company would also further explore this area when a total of 204 feet of surface diamond drilling, and 2,261 feet of underground diamond drilling was completed.

In 1936, the Matachewan Consolidated Mines Limited had increase their mill capacity from 150 tons to 300 tons of ore per a day. During this time period the company and its hard working miners soon had hoisted 58,819 tonnes of ore from the mine. Another 19,691 tonnes of waste was also taken from the mine as it started to expand in production. Development within the mine was rather being confined no the main three compartment shaft operation that was sunken to a depth of 650 feet at the time. Most of this development soon created newly developed stations that became constructed on the mines 367, and 500 foot sections. As this development had occurred the company and its team of hardworking miners commence further lateral development towards these newly engineered levels. Much of this lateral development soon had included 622 feet of crosscutting, and 1,936 feet of drifting. In addition the company would also undergo a new diamond drilling program that soon obtain 3,532 feet of core sample from the surface. Another huge diamond drilling program was also be performed below ground levels, and had contained 17,300 feet of core sample. Nevertheless, the company would also employ an average workforce of 110 ten men who made this mine go into heavy production.Nevertheless the mine was put on salvage basis in 1952 as ore reserves were starting to weaken and new ones were not being found. The last shot at this operation was conducted in 1962 but only a small fraction of gold ore was estimated on this claim to actually keep it running in operation. So the Matachewan Consolidated Mines Limited would end up closing down for good till it was re-examined and staked by Aurico Inc in 2012. With potential ore being found within this claim, the mine was once again back in production as it now had connected with the Young-Davidson Mine project. The olden day Matachewan Consolidated Mine was famously known for its production of 600,000 ounces of gold and 234,567 ounces of pure silver that made this mine process over 5,000,000 tons of ore that came from this operation.

Wallace (gold) Claims.—The Crown Reserve Mining Company did some surface workin 1918 under option on the six Wallace mining claims situated north of the Otisse property in the Matachewan gold area.

Otisso gold mine, Matachewan, operated by the Colorado-Ontario Development Company. Matachewan Colorado-Ontario (gold).—The Colorado-Ontario Development Company continued prospecting work on the Otisse and Robb gold claims ra Powell township during 1918. A large amount of trenching was done, and L3 diamond-drill holes,averaging about 400 feet in depth, were put down. Early in 1919 the company was reorganized under the name of the Matachewan Gold Mines, Limited,

No I do not believe so, I think Young Davidaon Mines Ltd gets royalty for both projects.

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Alex Omanski

2/19/2019 03:52:14 pm

If you search on the main page under the search engine there's a new page for this site with a lot more history and exploration. It's also mark down in the map on the main page that were putting together.

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